Chrome Moly Tubing

[swiftprop]

Thanks for that Gaz!

[justin.schoeman]

You can use a normal invertor welder, just add a tig torch and a flow meter on an argon bottle, put the earth clamp on +pos and the torch on -neg and scratch the tungston electrode to arc. Very affordable if you own the invertor welder in the first place!

I read on another forum that scratch starting is not recommended for aircraft welding, as the tungsten contaminates the weld. Personally I can't see it making much difference, but you never know .

[richard head]

Scratch start TIG welding is a real pain. You are constantly having to grind the tungsten electrode to decontaminate it, particularly when you are doing a lot of stop start welding and tacking.
I have recently seen a 160A inverter welder with HF start and foot pedal option for around R3k. I am seriously thinking of getting it.
As far as the foot pedal option is concerned, I reckon it is a must for critical welds. You have to be able to reduce the current when you get to the edge of a plate or whatever or you end up with a half moon.
Scratch start drives me crazy.